Product Overview
A lightweight daily facial sunscreen created for blemish-prone, oily, combination and sensitive skin. Micronized zinc oxide provides broad-spectrum protection while 5% niacinamide supports a calmer, clearer and more even-looking complexion.
Recommended For
Blemish-prone, combination, oily and sensitive skin, including skin prone to uneven-looking tone or visible redness.
Texture and Experience
A sheer, oil-free and non-comedogenic lotion that layers comfortably under makeup without a heavy feel.
Care Step
Protect SPF — final morning skin care step before makeup; reapply throughout the day as directed.
Key Ingredients
- Zinc Oxide 9% and Octinoxate 7.5% — broad-spectrum UV protection
- 5% Niacinamide — supports visibly clearer, more even-looking skin
- Sodium Hyaluronate — attracts and retains moisture
- Vitamin E — antioxidant support
Conscious Formula
Fragrance-free, paraben-free, hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic.
Available Size
1.7 oz / 48 g
Professional Recommendation
This is the formula we hand to guests whose skin turns shiny by midday, breaks out easily or flushes after treatment. Within the EltaMD line-up it is the niacinamide option: 5% niacinamide and an oil-free base separate it from UV Daily SPF 40, which is built around hyaluronic acid for normal to dry skin. If you would rather the same formula carried a wash of colour, UV Clear Tinted SPF 46 is the direct counterpart.
The airless pump needs priming on first use, so keep pressing until the lotion comes through evenly. The texture is light enough that most people apply too little — take a full, visible layer for the face, then repeat separately for ears, jawline and neck rather than stretching one dose across all of it. Let it settle for a minute before makeup so nothing pills. After a facial or a peel, press it in with flat fingers instead of rubbing, and keep the layer thin wherever skin still feels tender.
Safety Information
For external use only. Apply generously 15 minutes before sun exposure and reapply at least every two hours, and always after swimming, towel drying or sweating. Sunscreen works alongside shade, a hat and covering clothing, not instead of them, so plan for all of it on long days outdoors. Keep the product out of the eyes; if it does get in, rinse with water. Stop use if irritation or a rash appears and does not settle.
Not recommended for:
- Children under 6 months of age.
- Broken, bleeding or freshly wounded skin.
- Anyone with a known sensitivity to zinc oxide, octinoxate or niacinamide.
- Use around the eye area itself, on the lips or on the inside of the nose.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between UV Clear and UV Clear Tinted?
It is the same SPF 46 formula with the same 5% niacinamide and the same oil-free base. The tinted version simply adds iron oxides for a sheer, universal tint that evens the look of the complexion and softens any cast on deeper skin tones. Choose this untinted one if you wear your own foundation or prefer nothing on the skin but sunscreen.
Should I pick UV Clear or UV Daily?
UV Clear is the oily and blemish-prone choice — oil-free, with niacinamide, and light enough that it does not add shine. UV Daily SPF 40 is built for normal and dry skin, with hyaluronic acid for a more moisturising finish. If your skin feels tight by afternoon, go to UV Daily; if it feels slick, stay here.
Will it sit well under makeup?
Yes. It is a sheer, non-comedogenic lotion designed to be the final skin care step before makeup. Give it a minute to set, then apply foundation with light strokes rather than heavy buffing.
How much should I use and how often do I reapply?
Use an even, generous layer over every exposed area, 15 minutes before you go out, then top up at least every two hours and after swimming, towel drying or sweating. Reapplication matters more than the SPF number on the tube.
Can I use it after a facial or a peel?
It is a common choice for post-treatment skin because it is fragrance-free, oil-free and hypoallergenic. Follow whatever your treatment provider advised for the first days, and if you had a service with us, ask at your facial appointment or through an online skincare consultation.
Pairs Well With
- EltaMD UV Clear Tinted Broad Spectrum SPF 46: the same formula with a sheer tint, for days you want a little more evenness.
- EltaMD UV AOX Mist Broad Spectrum SPF 40: a mist that makes reapplying over makeup through the day practical.
- EltaMD UV Lip Balm SPF 36: covers the lips, which facial sunscreen should not.
- EltaMD UV Sport Broad Spectrum SPF 50: for beach days and long stretches outdoors.
- Explore the full EltaMD collection.